Blog - Aerodrome Primary Academy Achieve Inclusive School Award

Aerodrome Primary Academy Achieve Inclusive School Award

Aerodrome Primary Academy in Croydon is celebrating after achieving the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status. The Inclusion Quality Mark Award provides UK schools with a nationally recognised validation of their inclusive practice and ongoing commitment to developing educational inclusion. The Inclusion Quality Principles include promoting access and diversity, raising achievement for all, creating an environment for all to succeed and improving inclusive nature of all schools.

The school was recognised for their exceptional features, including:

the overall inclusive vision and positive leadership of the Headteacher

the excellent behaviour and positive attitudes of pupils

the brilliant work of the Inclusion Manager, Vicky Prigg and other specialists to support children with SEND in the ELP and in mainstream

the outstanding team-work of SLT

the teaching and support staff to enable all pupils to develop self-confidence and achieve

The school was described as being “very welcoming with a warm, friendly atmosphere throughout. The environment inside the school is bright and very positive with beautiful displays in the corridors and classrooms. The outside areas are wonderful spaces for children to play and learn together with amazing adventure play areas for all key stages.” Headteacher, Zoe Foulsham, was praised for “[setting] the tone for the supportive, caring, inclusive framework with high expectations of all and she has been rigorous in ensuring that the school’s inclusive vision is implemented and thoroughly embedded in the life of the school.”

Teaching and support staff were said to “work very well together to do their very best for all pupils” and staff were described as “positive and energetic and are fully committed to the pupils and to the school.” They were also praised for the inclusion of children with SEND, which was described as “exceptional with pupils’ individual needs at the forefront and an excellent team.”

Children were described as being “very happy, self-confident, friendly and enthusiastic and behave very well” and relationships with parents are “excellent”. Comments from parents, included: “my son was a shell before he came here. Now he performs in front of the whole school.”

The school, which is part of REAch2 Academy Trust, was rated as a “Good” school in an Ofsted inspection in June 2016. The report described the headteacher and other senior leaders as “ambitious and effective.”

Zoe Foulsham, headteacher at Aerodrome Primary Academy, said:

“We are all absolutely delighted to become a Centre of Excellence for Inclusion. At Aerodrome we are proud of the inclusive, engaging learning environment we have created. Achieving great self esteem and the highest possible standards for every child is our main priority.”

Sir Steve Lancashire, CEO of REAch2 Academy Trust, said:

“This is a fantastic achievement for everyone at Aerodrome and the award is wholly deserved by children, staff and parents. At REAch2 we care passionately about providing exceptional opportunities for learning for each and every child in our schools.”